


It's the most beautiful pain in the world

by orphan_account



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Hybrids, M/M, and michael isnt in it until the very end, calum's not in this sorry, hybrid luke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-16
Updated: 2015-08-16
Packaged: 2018-04-15 01:10:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4587309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Luke gulped before he pulled off his beanie. He ran a hand through his hair, but it wasn’t the messy blonde hair Ashton was focussed on, it was the two auburn ears protruding from the mess.</p><p>“What. The. Fuck?” Ashton bit out.</p><p>“Please don’t freak out.” Luke said, moving a hand behind his back. “I can’t help it, it was the way I was born.”</p><p>“What the hell are you?” Ashton demanded.</p><p>“I’m a… I’m a hybrid.” Luke said. “I’m part human, part coyote.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's the most beautiful pain in the world

**Author's Note:**

> You can reblog this on tumblr where I originally posted it [here](http://hemmoism.tumblr.com/post/126784417731/lashton-hybridluke-5k-words-unedited-it). The title was taken from Love How it Hurts by Scouting for Girls.

It was late. Like  _really_  late. Just past two in the morning to be exact and Ashton hated himself.

There was many things wrong with the situation he was in. The first one is the fact that it was a Friday night and he was stuck at the animal clinic for the fifth night in a row. The second is the fact that he had barely slept the past few days because he'd been juggling working here and his school work. He would have asked Michael to cover for him but he was dealing with some family issues and Ashton didn’t want to disturb that.

So, he was sitting at the reception desk, lazily flipping through the pages of the drumming magazine, trying to pass the time before six arrived and he could go home and sleep for the next ten years – or he won't because he can't  _exactly_  sleep for ten years. The place was deathly still, the only sounds being Ashton's page turning and the soft sounds of animals snoring. Ashton loved working at the animal clinic, he planned on being a vet one day but he sincerely hoped it didn't end up like this because there was only so many late nights he could take.

He believed the night would pass relatively peacefully, maybe one of the animals would wake up but aside from that, the night should be uneventful but Ashton doesn't get that luxury, as per usual.

It was only small, quiet, sounds he hears and it sounds like scratching, so he puts it down to one of the puppies or kitten clawing at their cages or something but that idea is dashed when he hears the sound of rustling which could still be one of the animals but animals can't exactly open their cages and rustle things like that. Ashton gathered he had gotten company and, with a quick roll of his shoulders, he made his way slowly into the back room, where the medication is usually kept.

It would probably be some druggie or homeless person. It wouldn't be the first time that had happened and Ashton is prepared to force them to leave if he has to.

Except, when he reaches the back room it's not some stoned loser or homeless man looking for shelter but a boy, who can't be much younger than him. A beanie sat atop his head while he crouched down, looking through the very bottom shelves of the medicine cabinet. This wouldn't have been much of a problem, Ashton could have just called out and gotten rid of him but the boy is messing around with stuff they usually give to wild animals.

“We usually reserve that stuff for woodland creatures.” Ashton said. “And you don't look like a woodland creature.”

The boy gasped, jumping up and dropping the bottle of pills he was holding. Upon seeing him in full height, there's a few things Ashton's noticed. The first was how broad he was, the second was that he was dirty, the black jeans that clung to his legs were covered with mud and rips, the same state continued onto his t-shirt, except the white fabric was stained a odd crimson shade at one side and he was standing as if he needed to use the bathroom.

“What are you doing in here?” Ashton asked.

“Um... I... Um...” The boy licked his lips, eyes looking everywhere  _but_  Ashton.

“If you don't tell me why you're here, I'll call the cops.” Ashton said.

“Please don't.” The boy gasped out as if he'd just resurfaced from being held under water.

“ _And_  he speaks.” Ashton nodded. “What are you doing here?”

“I j-just needed a bandage.” The boy said. He gulped as he pressed a hand to his bloodied side. “It hurts.”

“What happened?” Ashton asked, moving towards him. “How deep is it?”

Again, the boy licked his lips. “Not too deep.”

“Let me see.” Ashton said.

“No!” The boy backed up until his back hit the medicine cabinet and he let out a soft wince.

“You're going to hurt yourself further.” Ashton said. “Let me see it.”

Drawing his bottom lip between his teeth, the boy lifted the hem of his t-shirt to show Ashton what appeared to be a bullet wound. That scared him for a few reasons. Someone had shot this boy and he'd run here, somewhere where his assailant could find and possibly shoot Ashton, something he wasn't up for.

“I'm calling the cops.” He said.

“No!” The boy lurched forward, grabbing Ashton's wrist. “Please, don't. I j-just need some bandages and then I'll l-leave.”

“You've been shot, someone is after you and I'm not putting my ass on the line for some kid.” Ashton tugged his arm free.

“They won't hurt you.” he said.

 _They._ There was more than one person after this kid. Whatever he'd done must have been bad if this was the kind of response it had gotten. Ashton certainly didn't want any part of it.

“Get out.” he said through gritted teeth.

“Please, I just need some first aid, that's all.” The boy pleaded.

His blue eyes were wide and Ashton noticed how scared he was. Something bad had happened and all Ashton could do was think about his own ass. What a great human being he was.

“We need to go to a hospital then.” Ashton sighed. “That medicine is only for animals and it most likely won't work on you.”

“It'll work.” The boy nodded, sounding more positive about that than he should have.

“It really won't, some of it's only compatible with animal DNA and you don't have animal DNA in you.” Ashton explained. “We should just go to the hospital.”

“I  _can't_  go to the hospital.” The boy stressed. “I need you to stitch it up here and then I'll leave and you never have to see me again.”

Ashton rubbed the back of his neck. “Fine.”

“Thank you.” The boy breathed out.

“My name's Ashton, by the way.” he said.

The boy nodded. “I’m Luke.”

 

*

 

Luke had been very reluctant to take his t-shirt off fully and thus ended up holding it up while Ashton removed the bullet and stitched up his side. His body was oddly pale as if he hadn't seen the sun and it worried Ashton. He also kept shifting a lot which was strange.

Once he'd finished stitching up his side, Ashton gathered up the first aid supplies and put them away. Again, he turned to face Luke and got a real good look at him. He was still very dirty, as if he'd been running through the woods. Ashton just then noticed that he didn't have shoes on and his feet were angled inwards, towards each other.

His whole demeanour screamed nervous and Ashton felt bad for him.

“Do you have some place to go now?” Ashton asked.

Luke shook his head. “I just have to keep going.”

“That's not healthy.” Ashton said. “Why don't you just stay here the night and we can figure something out tomorrow?”

“No, I really need to go.” Luke licked his lips, something Ashton noticed he did a lot.

“Luke, you're hurt.” Ashton said. “And I only work with animals so I have no idea how long those stitches will hold for.”

“I really can't stay.” Luke said.

“Okay. Well, if you're going to leave at least let me take you to the hospital so I can know if you'll be fine.” Ashton said.

Luke bit his lip. Everything about this was weird. Luke was a strange kid. There was something off about him and Ashton couldn't quite place it. He knew it had something to do with the way he was acting and the bullet wound in his side but nothing added up. The only plausible explanation was that Luke had done something bad and was on the run. Ashton thought it was nice of Luke not to drag him into it but he couldn't help but be worried for the state the boy was in.

He was snapped from his thoughts when he saw blood trickling down from Luke's lip.

“You're bleeding.” Ashton gasped.

“What?” Luke touched his lip and looked at the spot of blood on his finger. “Oh...” He put a finger in his mouth and poked around for a few seconds. “Crap.”

“What is it?” Ashton asked.

“This can't be happening.” Luke shook his head and turned his back to Ashton for the first time that night.

The lump at the bum of his jeans was fairly noticeable. It was large in size and Ashton swore he saw it shifting around. Ashton could hear Luke muttering to himself but he was mesmerized by the lump that had now _definitely_ moved.

“What the hell is that?” he demanded.

Luke spun around and sucked in a deep breath. “You need to promise me you won't tell anyone.”

As he spoke, Ashton swore he saw something sharp in Luke's mouth, like his canines had grown longer and sharper.

“Tell anyone  _what_?” Ashton demanded.

“About me.” Luke said.

“What?”

“You can't let anyone know you saw me.” Luke explained. “You can't let anyone know I exist.”

“What? Why?”

“This is why.”

Luke gulped before he pulled off his beanie. He ran a hand through his hair, but it wasn't the messy blonde hair Ashton was focussed on, it was the two auburn ears protruding from the mess.

“What. The. Fuck?” Ashton bit out.

“Please don't freak out.” Luke said, moving a hand behind his back. “I can't help it, it was the way I was born.”

“What the hell are you?” Ashton demanded.

“I'm a... I'm a hybrid.” Luke said. “I'm part human, part coyote.”

“Those don't exist.” Ashton spat.

“Because the government doesn't let you know they exist.” Luke said. “I escaped from the facility they kept me in, that's why I have the bullet wound.”

“This is a joke.” Ashton said. “Michael set you up to do this, right?”

“No!”

“Don't lie to me.” Ashton marched over to him. “This is one hell of a practical joke.”

“It's not a joke! I'm serious!” Luke said, voice desperate.

“Those ear look awfully real, how the hell did he afford something that good?” Ashton asked. “Where is he, huh? Tell him to come out cause I'm not finding this funny.”

“Who?” Luke asked. “I don't know who you're talking about.”

“Michael.” Ashton grabbed Luke's arm and shoved him against the wall. “Take these damn things off.”

He grabbed one of the boy's ears and yanked on it. To his surprise, Luke yelped but it wasn't the typical sound a human would make, it sounded like the noise Michael's dog had made that one time Ashton stepped on it's paw. Jumping back, Ashton thought he was going to throw up.

“What the fuck are you?!” he yelled.

“A hybrid!” Luke said. “I told you.”

“This is fucking insane.” Ashton scrubbed a hand over his face. “This isn't happening, I've gone mad from a lack of sleep.”

“No. I'm real. Look.”

Ashton looked at him and saw that he now had a tail in his hand. He correctly guessed that this had been what the lump in his jeans had been.

“How are you possible?” Ashton asked.

“Experimentation.” Luke mumbled. “It's been happening for years and no one knows about it.”

Ashton found himself subconsciously moving towards Luke. “You're impossible.”

“I'm really not.” Luke shook his head.

“How can you be real? Hybrid's don't exist, they're things you find in comic books or novels or – or movies for God's sake!” Ashton tugged a hand through his hair.

“I'm real.” Luke said. “I promise you I'm real.”

Ashton looked at him and they met eyes. “You promise?”

“Pinky promise.”

Luke held up the pinky of his hand not holding the tail and Ashton was quick to make his way across the floor and link pinkies with him, giving his finger a small squeeze before he pulled back. Without saying anything, he glanced down to Luke's tail. It was the same colour as his ears and was twitching softly. He was reminded of his of one of the biology classes he'd attention in high school, they'd been taught about bones and one of them had been the tail bone.

This whole thing good have been legit after all.

“You wanna touch it?” Luke asked, timidly.

“What?”

“My tail... do you want to touch it?” he asked.

“Um... yeah, okay.”

Ashton couldn't have denied being curious as to what Luke's tail – that sounded completely fucking crazy – felt like. Biting his lip, he reached out and ran a hand over the soft fur. It was just like any of the tails he'd felt of the other animals in the clinic. It was soft and... nice.

“I can't believe this.” he muttered.

“It's a lot to take in, I know.” Luke nodded. He'd curled up his toes and was looking down at them.

“Do you have teeth?” Ashton asked.

Luke looked up at him before opening his mouth and showing Ashton the two elongated canines he had. His tongue swiped across them and Ashton peered forward slightly, taking in the sight.

“Wow.”

“I know.” Luke shut his mouth. “I'm surprised you're not freaking out...”

“Trust me, I _am_.” Ashton nodded. “I'm just good at hiding it.”

“Oh...” Luke licked his lips. “You can't tell anyone about me.”

“I don't think anyone will believe me.” Ashton said.

“Okay.” Luke nodded. “Thanks, in advance.”

“You're leaving?” Ashton asked.

“I guess so.” Luke licked his lips again and the damn habit was getting on Ashton's nerves.

“Why?”

“I can't stay in one place too long, I need to get far away, where I'll be safe.” Luke explained. “The government won't stop looking for me.”

“What will they do when they find you?” Ashton asked.

“Send me back to the facility.” Luke explained. “Or if I don't go  _peacefully_ , they'll probably kill me.”

“That's horrible.” Ashton said. “Why can't you hide out here?”

“They might be able to track me if I do.” Luke said. “And if they do, then they'll find you and... and when normal people get sent to the facility... you don't exactly see them again...”

Ashton was surprised at that. He wondered how many missing persons cases were the direct result of something like that. However, that wasn't what he was interested in, he was more interested in the fact that Luke was actively trying to protect him from that fate, him, the boy who had threatened the call the cops and had called him impossible. It was sweet actually.

“You can't just go running out into the world.” Ashton said. “Do you even know how to navigate out there?”

“I have my animal instincts.” Luke said.

“Okay... but... like... have you used them outside of the... facility?” Ashton asked.

Luke looked down at the ground, cheeks heating up at that. “No.”

“Stay with me tonight.” Ashton said. “I'm just gonna be in here, watching the other animals.”

“I couldn't possibly ask you to do that.” Luke said. “It'd be putting you in danger and...”

“And what?”

“And they might find this place.” Luke said.

“Okay...”

Ashton pushed his lips to one side. He probably should have been more scared than he was but he didn't actually find the situation that scary. The way he was seeing it was that he had a cute boy in front of him who just so happened to be part coyote and was defying every science law Ashton knew. He had half a mind to call Michael and ask for advice but then remembered what Luke had said and deicide dragging more people into this wouldn't be the best thing to do.

“We could move?” Ashton suggested.

“What do you mean?” Luke asked.

“Away from the clinic.” Ashton elaborated. “Tuck in your tail and hide your ears and we'll go out. There's a cool all night diner not far from here and I'm  _starving_.”

Luke stared at him, bewildered. He must have bee confused as to why Ashton wasn't scared about the prospect of being dragged off by men in suits and never seeing his family or friends again. But then his stomach let out a mangled growl and he remembered the last time he'd eaten had been a few hours ago, when a petite assistant had handed him a candy bar that was actually just a chew stick.

“You hungry too?” Ashton asked.

Luke blushed as he nodded.

“Ever had real food?”

Luke shook his head.

“Well, c'mon then. I'll lock up and we'll go.”

 

*

 

They got to the diner in record time and Ashton lead Luke to a booth towards the back of the place. It was mostly quiet, just a few truck drivers and other travellers looking for a rest. A waitress came over and gave them menus.

Luke was staring at it in confusion and Ashton smiled at him. He had his nose scrunched up and it was really cute.

“What do you fancy?” Ashton asked.

“I don't know... it all sounds foreign to me.” Luke said.

“I'll order for you.” Ashton said and took the menu off of Luke.

The waitress came back over, taking their orders and menu before she headed off to get their drinks. Ashton got a coffee while Luke got a cola, telling Ashton that he had a sweet tooth ever since he'd been allowed to drink a can a few years ago.

Overall, the entire thing seemed slightly sad to Ashton. Here was this interesting boy who had been locked up in some facility his entire life and when he got out, all he could think about was keeping some stranger safe from the people who had  _shot_ him.

“Where will you go?” Ashton asked.

Their meals had arrived – Ashton had ordered them both an English breakfast and it still technically count seeing at it was now three in the morning – and they both began to pick at it.

“I have no idea.” Luke sighed. “I just need to get away. I want to be free.”

Ashton nodded. He sort of understood, he knew what it was like to want something he couldn't have.

“Are you sure there isn't anyone you can go to?” Ashton asked. “To help you? Like, family? Your parents?”

“No.” Luke shook his head. “The facility keeps all of that information classified, so I have no one. But that's okay! I really don't mind, I've been on my own my entire life and if it's the sacrifice I need to make to be free, then so be it.”

That was... sombre. Ashton suddenly felt the need to lighten the mood. Glancing around the place, he made sure no one was listening to them as he leaned in closer, so Luke could still hear him as he lowered his voice.

“What's it like?” he asked. “Any perks?”

“Plenty!” Luke nodded. “I can hear really well, like I can hear your heartbeat and it's going crazy, which is weird because that only happens when people get angry with me.”

“I'm not angry with you.” Ashton reassured him. He hadn't realised his heart had been racing so fast...

“It's all the perks of being an animal while also having the ability of being human.” Luke explained. “But people got scared of us. It was in the late eighties, when most of us were becoming more and more eager to show the world that we existed, when the government stepped in. Families were ripped apart and it just... sucked.”

“That's horrible.” Ashton said. He couldn't imagine being torn away from his family, it would kill him. “But you escaped, that's great.”

“I know!” Luke beamed. “I was so proud of myself for that but...”

“But what?” Ashton asked.

Luke shook his head. “But nothing.”

Ashton could see he was hiding something but knew it wasn't his place to demand an answer. He didn't want the conversation topic to be so sour anyway and he decided to change the subject.

“What did you do for fun?” Ashton asked. “Like, they let you do stuff, right?”

Luke nodded. “Some stuff. They let me learn guitar but I had to leave it behind.”

“My friend plays guitar.” Ashton said. “Do you like music?”

“Sort of. They never allowed me to listen to any though, just the stuff I played on my guitar.” Luke shrugged.

“Aw man, that sucks.” Ashton shook his head, genuinely feeling bad for him.

“It's fine.” Luke shrugged.

Ashton watched as he nibbled at a piece of bacon before his hand disappeared under the table and touched his side. Ashton had given him a hoodie to hide the blood staining his side as well as a pair of converse that most likely belonged to Michael.

“Does it hurt?” he asked.

“A little.” Luke pouted, actually pouted and it made Ashton's heart flutter.

“I'll give you pain killers when we get back to the clinic.” Ashton said. “They should help dull the pain...”

Luke nodded, picking up another piece of food from his plate and nibbling at it.

“Does your teeth help you eat?” Ashton asked.

“No.” Luke shook his head then paused. “Well, they would if I were eating something a coyote would, like a rabbit or something.”

Ashton gasped, feigning horror. “Not the bunnies!”

Luke giggled at his reaction and Ashton decided that it was the best sound he'd ever heard.

“I've never actually eaten rabbit.” Luke said. “I hope that saves your impression of me.”

“What makes you think I have an impression of you?” Ashton asked.

“Everyone has an impression of someone.” Luke said. “Right?”

“Well, I only get one when I get to know someone.” Ashton pointed out.

“You want to get to know me?” Luke asked, looking very shocked at this.

“A little, yeah.” Ashton sighed. “That won't happen will it?”

“No, I'm sorry.” Luke looked down. “I want to keep you safe from them. I know what they're life.”

“It's fine Luke.” Ashton said. “I understand.”

Luke looked up at him before lifting his half eaten piece of bacon. “I really like this.”

“Yeah,” Ashton nodded, staring at Luke as he went back to eating. “I do too.”

 

*

 

When they got back to the clinic, it was just past four in the morning and Ashton was beginning to feel the consequences of staying up for so many nights. He let out a yawn as they headed inside.

“I need to check the animals.” he said. “You okay to wait here?”

Luke nodded. “Sure.”

“There's a sofa there, make yourself at home.” Ashton said before he went into the back room, where the animals where kept.

There was rows of cages lining the walls and there was various animals in them. He checked them all over, giving the few that had woken up with their arrival a light head pat. When he had checked them all over and found that they were all still safe, he went back to the front, where he had left Luke, and plopped down next to him on the sofa.

He had his beanie off now, letting his ear adjust to being exposed while his tail hung lazily off of the sofa. It didn't look as weird as Ashton had first thought but then again, he'd been in shock and he hadn't spoken to Luke much.

“Is it uncomfortable having them hidden?” he asked.

“Yeah.” Luke nodded. “It's like having your hands trapped behind your back or something. It's part of me but if I left it exposed, then I'd get caught.”

“And we don't want that.”

“No, we don't.”

They met eyes again and Ashton licked his lips. He noticed that Luke's canines had made themselves present again.

“Are those uncomfortable?” he asked.

Luke touched his lips and Ashton eyes followed the motion. He hadn't realised how pink Luke's lips were. They looked nice and... kissable.

“They used to cut my lips a lot.” Luke said. “But I got used to them.”

“Oh... what do they feel like?” Ashton was still staring at Luke's lips.

“You want to feel them?” Luke asked.

“Sure?”

Ashton was a little unsure about putting his hand inside of the mouth of a boy he'd just met but then again, he had just been staring at the mouth of a boy he just met, so he really shouldn't have been so unsure.

Luke took his hand in his own and guided Ashton's hand to his mouth. Holding out one finger, Ashton's grimaced slightly when it came into contact with the wet tooth. It was sharp and he was shown that when he felt a sharp sting on the tip of his finger. Pulling his hand back, he saw a little spot of blood on the tip of his finger.

“Sorry.” Luke mumbled.

“It's okay.” Ashton held his finger up. “Kiss it better?”

He had no idea if Luke would be privy to that kind of expression but it seemed as if he was as he leaned forward and quickly pecked Ashton's finger. The only outcome from the gesture was him smearing blood over his lips.

“Here, you have some on your – let me get it.”

Ashton lifted a hand and wiped away the small streak with his thumb. He swallowed thickly, his fingers touching Luke's jaw lightly.

“I'm gonna... kiss you now...”

“Okay.”

He leaned forward and lightly pressed his lips to Luke's. It was a soft kiss, nothing but chaste and when he pulled back he looked at Luke who looked like he'd just seen the stars.

“Wow.”

“Yeah.”

“That was my first kiss.” Luke mumbled.

“It was?” Ashton asked.

“Mhm.”

“Glad I had the honour.”

“Me too.” Luke ducked his heads, a light pink dusting his cheeks slightly.

“Hey,” Ashton tilted his head. “You're a miracle.”

“What?” Luke looked up at him.

“Something like you... shouldn't exist...” Ashton said. “But yet, here you are, right in front of me, letting me kiss you.”

Luke's tail thumped against the sofa and he blushed even more then. “Sorry. It does that.”

Ashton chuckled softly. “It's okay.”

“This is really nice.” Luke said.

“I know.” Ashton nodded.

“I just wish...” Luke trailed off.

“You didn't have to leave?” Ashton finished.

“Yeah.”

“But you have to.”

“Yeah.”

He nodded softly and sighed. The sombre mood was back and Ashton actually felt sad that Luke would have to leave. He knew it was to ensure both off their safety and Ashton was thankful that Luke wanted to keep him safe but that didn't mean he wasn't sad that the boy would have to leave.

“Maybe... Maybe you could come back someday?” Ashton suggested.

“Would you still be here?” Luke asked.

“Probably.” Ashton said.

“I'll think about coming back then.” Luke said.

“Really?”

“Maybe.”

 

*

 

Ashton wasn't quite sure how he'd managed to feel asleep but he woke up on the sofa adjacent to the reception desk when he was smacked with a rolled up magazine.

“Oi! Irwin!”

It was Michael who was talking to him and Ashton groaned, groggily rubbing his eyes as he stretched, his back aching from sleeping in such a horrendous position.

“What?”

“You were supposed to be watching the animals.” Michael said.

“I was, I was just getting some shut eye.” Ashton yawned.

“Yeah, well Roy's going crazy, there's missing first aid stuff.” Michael explained.

Roy was the vet that owned the clinic, the person who had been kind enough to employ both him and Michael.

“Oh...”

Ashton stood up and watched as Michael moved into the back room, where there was the sound of annoyed muttering coming from. He stayed where he was rooted to the spot. He knew exactly why there was some missing supplies and that reason was no longer here.

“Mike?”

“Hm?”

“Did you see someone leaving here earlier?” Ashton asked.

“Nope.” Michael poked his head through the door. “Shouldn't we be asking you that?”

“Probably.” Ashton pushed his lips to the side. “Tell Roy I'll be back later.”

“Sure.”

Michael disappeared back into the back room just as Ashton grabbed his jacket and shrugged it on. He left the store, letting the slightly cold air wash over him as he started his journey home. He wouldn't be lying if he said he was upset that Luke had gone. He hadn't even said goodbye to him. It hurt a little but Ashton couldn't fault the boy, he was trying to keep himself safe. He wanted to be free and to do that, he had to leave.

Ashton found it weird that he was even that sad about it. Sure they'd talked a little and kissed but it wasn't like they'd established anything between them, right? He'd get over it. He knew he would, he wasn't going to see Luke again and he couldn't hang on to false hope.

When he got into his apartment, he took his jacket off and threw it across arm of the sofa as he flopped down onto it. Slowly, he buried his face against the arm of the sofa and let out a muffled, frustrated, cry. His small moment of anguish was interrupted when his phone vibrated against his leg.

Blindly reaching into his pocket, he pulled his phone out but was distracted when he heard something drop to the floor and bounce slightly. Pulling himself up, he saw a crumpled up piece of paper that lay on the floor. Why hadn't he realised he had it before?

Picking it up, Ashton opened it up. It was a pamphlet about shots but when he flipped it around, to one of the blank sides, he saw messy, unfamiliar, handwriting. When he read the small note, Ashton couldn't help but smile.

_Sorry I didn't say goodbye. I owe you that maybe. Luke._


End file.
